


The Void Inside (A Carefree Boy)

by Breemarie12256



Category: Carmen Sandiego (Cartoon 2019)
Genre: Carmen Sandiego Being a Mother Figure, Mama Sandiego, let my wittle redhead kids be happy please
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-05
Updated: 2019-10-20
Packaged: 2020-11-24 17:23:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20911325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Breemarie12256/pseuds/Breemarie12256
Summary: Surprise! I know, it’s almost been weeks since I posted chapter 1 but I have a life, y‘know?? (But you guys do too, just so you know, I’m not trying to say you don’t have lives) soooooo yeah! Enjoy!





	1. Chapter 1

Zack was tired of being useless. 

Even prior to meeting Carmen, he was still seen as the dorky goofball who couldn’t do anything right. He only had few friends in his elementary and middle school years. While Ivy had it all.   
She had many friends, their parents seemed to love her more than him, and she even had dated a few boys here and there. But...that was before their parents died in a car crash during Ivy’s sophomore year in high school. He was a freshman at that time. He was so young that he didn’t understand completely what was going on. But Ivy, being older than him by two years, knew the truth and didn’t tell him until a few days after their parents went “missing”. 

Ivy started losing friends. Her boyfriend broke up with her. Her reputation was tarnished. And so was Zack’s.   
Once the news broke, no one wanted anything to do with them at all. NO ONE. They were useless. And that was all they thought they would be their entire lives. 

Or so, they thought. 

He and Ivy spent the next few weeks on the streets. Eating whatever they can find. Stealing supplies from stores downtown.   
One night, they came across some donut shop that didn’t seem to be there at all whenever he and Ivy walked with their parents in this area of the city. But it wasn’t at all what it seemed. 

VILE operatives were disguising themselves as harmless workers in a local donut shop. While also producing a chemical that could have people brainwashed and make them do harmful deeds. And when VILE didn’t feel like they were useful anymore, they’d give one final command to their victims. 

To kill themselves. 

Thankfully, Carmen Sandiego showed up at the right time. 

She was able to stop the VILE operatives from selling those mind control donuts and she saved many lives. But they also lost lives too.   
He and Ivy were in awe of the older woman, and they saw something in her. She was willing to help those in need, even if she was a well known international criminal. 

Carmen took them in. She didn’t force them to come with her and work for her to stop VILE, they made their own decision.   
Carmen was like a mother to them. She always acted like one too. Whenever Ivy or himself were in the living room of their hotel suite at 1 am she’d always tell them to go to bed or else she’ll MAKE them. 

And now here they were, working for Carmen Sandiego, the master thief. But even if he had a purpose at all, Zack still felt so...useless.   
Usually it was Player, Carmen or Ivy calling the shots, mostly Carmen, though. Since she IS the head thief of their team. And the most deadly. 

But a lot of times Zack felt left out. He felt like he was just getting in everyone’s way. He felt like Carmen doesn’t need him at all and just his sister and Player.   
Zack sighed as he walked out of the bathroom and into the living room. Where Carmen was sitting in a chair on her laptop. And Ivy was on her Nintendo Switch (which he’ll have to thank Carmen for later). 

“Hey uh sis? Where’s my jersey?” Zack asked, not wanting to walk around the hotel room without a shirt on.   
“Put it in the wash! You’ll have to live shirtless for a day in a half. Sorry, bro!” Ivy said, then went back to playing whatever game she was playing. 

“Oh come on! Carm, can you believe this?” Zack asked, hopeful his boss would find a solution for him.   
“Hmmm..what was that?” Carmen asked, looking up from her laptop screen. 

“I ASKED—CAN YOU BELIEVE I HAVE TO SPEND A DAY IN A HALF SHIRTLESS?!” Zack screeched, practically making him a banshee at this point. 

“Okay, first of all, calm down. And second, don’t you have more clothes than just a jersey and jeans?” Carmen said, raising an eyebrow at her friend.   
“Well yeah...but....that jersey’s all I have left of...ummmm never mind! I think I might have an extra shirt in my suitcase!” Zack said, zooming over to his and Ivy’s rented room to not only ACTUALLY get a shirt, but to think about the slip up he made. 

Why did he have to be so dumb? Why did he have to be born a goofball? To act like nothing was serious at all?   
What Carmen and Ivy didn’t know, is that they were going to see a whole new Zack, starting tomorrow. Zack groaned at the thought. But then again...

He had no other option if he wanted to be taken seriously.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise! I know, it’s almost been weeks since I posted chapter 1 but I have a life, y‘know?? (But you guys do too, just so you know, I’m not trying to say you don’t have lives) soooooo yeah! Enjoy!

Zack usually wasn’t a morning person. But then again, what kind of teen was? But if he had to prove himself, one thing had to be done. 

Getting up early. 

Zack groaned as his eyes fluttered open. To see Carmen standing above him, smiling down at him.   
“Ughhh.....Carm?” Zack slurred, too tired to even give a confused look at the woman before him. Why is she up at—what was the time anyway? Zack saw his phone near Carmen’s laptop on the kitchenette’s table. 

“What...time is it?” Zack asked, his voice dry. Did he drink anything last night...? Oh well he’ll drink a whole load of water this morning.   
Carmen frowned at him. “It’s 7:30. And are you alright, Zack? You sound like you’re in pain..” she said, placing a hand on Zack’s shoulder.

The gears in Zack’s head were rapidly turning. ABORT. ABORT. make up something! QUICK!   
“Oh! No! Carm, I’m fine! Really! I just..uhhh...I think I pulled a muscle last night on our caper!” Zack stammered, backing away from the woman. 

“Zack...?” 

“Y-Yeah Carm?” 

“We didn’t HAVE a caper last night.” Zack’s eyes widened. 

“Oh..oh right! Hehe..sorry Carm..I guess I’m just exhausted. From, y’know, traveling last night..” Zack said, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. Carmen frowned in suspicion.   
“Funny, the last time we traveled was a few days ago.” Carmen said, crossing her arms. 

Zack gulped. He can’t get out of this one. Especially since Carmen has him cornered.   
Carmen sighed. “Zack, why are you lying to me? Is there something wrong?” She asked her friend, attempting to get at least something truthful out of him and not another lie. 

“Carm...look...its-it’s been a long night for me, okay? I don’t know how to describe it..” Zack said, leaning against the counter. Carmen frowned, spotting something on the couch she found Zack on. It looked like....a textbook.? What was Zack doing with a textbook?   
“Zack..? Why is there a textbook on the couch?” Carmen asked. “And...where on earth did you get it?” Zack paled at that, he’ll have to come up with another lie even if Carmen knows he’s not telling her the truth right now. 

“I-It’s something my uncle gave me. He died a few years ago. And that’s all I have left of him.” Zack said, not completely telling another lie. His Uncle Richard died almost four years ago now. But the textbook? He actually got from some downtown bookstore when Carmen and Ivy were somewhere else.   
Carmen didn’t really seem to buy it, but she let it slide. Knowing Zack was going to continue to lie to her. Might as well play along until he tells the truth..which could be days or even weeks from now. Depends on what he’s hiding from her...

“Oh...I’m sorry for your loss. It must’ve been hard for you and Ivy.” Carmen said, placing a supposedly comforting hand on Zack’s shoulder. Zack let out a slightly exaggerated sigh.   
“It was. He died after our parents died. So, Ivy and I spent weeks on the streets living up to when we met you.” Zack revealed, almost tearing up at the memory of his uncle’s eyes on that night. He knew...he KNEW he wouldn’t see his grandchildren again. 

“I-I think he knew he wasn’t gonna see us again. I saw it in his eyes, Carm. I saw it in his eyes...” Zack said, thankful that he wasn’t telling another lie. Carmen frowned.   
“Wait....you mentioned only your uncle. What about your aunt? Was she with him or..?” Carmen asked, hoping that Zack and Ivy’s aunt wasn’t a bad person. Zack looked down, ashamed, and shook his head.   
“She.....died a month before Richard died. From cancer. Richard was the only family we had left after our parents died. And after he died...well, Ivy and I only had each other.” Zack said, as the room went silent. Carmen looked at him with guilt in her purple-grey eyes. She sighed. 

“Today’s the anniversary of his death, isn’t it?” Carmen asked, continuing to look at her depressed friend. Zack slowly nodded. He wasn’t actually lying about this. It was true. He and Ivy only remembered recently that this day was coming up and they didn’t tell Carmen. Not that she wouldn’t mind if they kept it a secret, but still.   
“I-I should’ve been there, Carm! I should’ve at least been there and figured out he died by myself and not let a nurse call Ivy and I in and tell us he’s dead!” Zack said, sitting back on the couch. He was shaking. He could feel it. But he wasn’t gonna let the dam break. At least, not in front of Carmen. But Carmen already knew he was slowly breaking down. 

Carmen was worried about Zack. His mental state has never been like this. He and his uncle must’ve been really close. A voice went off in the back of her head. It took her about a minute to process what that “voice” was saying. 

Comfort him....comfort him! 

Carmen pulled Zack towards her. Zack was confused at first, but then he registered what she was doing when he felt a warm weight on his waist. She was hugging him. 

Zack hugged back, burying his head deep into the crook of Carmen’s neck. 

Carmen sighed, holding Zack in her arms tightly. 

“Zack, listen to me. Your uncle’s death wasn’t your fault. There was nothing you could have done to stop him from dying that night. How would you have been able to prevent that tragedy from happening when you didn’t even know about it?” Carmen said, giving Zack a tender squeeze.   
Zack felt his eyes burning. No, no, no, no, NO! C’mon, Zack! You’re stronger than this! You WILL NOT allow yourself to be weak in front of Carmen! 

That all changed when Carmen heard something. It came from below her. She looked down and saw Zack bury his face deeper into her shoulder. He was crying. Sobbing. She looked down at Zack’s mop of red hair and rested her head on the crown of his head.   
It took Zack quite a long time to calm down. But Carmen was with him the whole time. She cared for him. Held him. She didn’t judge him for crying in front of her, she actually understood him. And Ivy too, no doubt. Zack pulled away from Carmen’s shoulder. Taking a second to compose himself after a bad cry. 

“Thanks, Carm. Really. I just....still wish I was at least able to do something at that time of my grandpa’s death.” Zack said, looking down at the ground. He felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Carmen smiling at him.   
“You’re welcome. And, you can’t always save everyone, Zack. Besides, no one blames you for being too young to understand what was going on until his final moments. And I bet you that if he was here right now, he would be proud of the young man you became.” Carmen said, shocking Zack. Zack recovered from his shock and grinned at Carmen. 

“Thanks, Carm. Feeling better already.” Carmen grinned back at him. 

“You’re welcome, Zack.” She said, watching as Zack got up from where they were seated at and went to the kitchen their suite had. 

“Oh! And Zack?” Said boy turned the second his name was called. 

“If you ever, EVER, want to talk about anything, come to me, okay? I understand you’re going through painful events in your life, and...I want to help you. However I can.” Zack wryly smiled at Carmen’s kind, heartfelt words. 

“Again, thanks, Carm!” 

Carmen sighed, but gave him another smile back. 

“Anytime, Zack. Anytime.”


End file.
